12.9.12

Grey Ghost

I took these images of a Northern Harrier this past winter. The males, like the one pictured here, are indicated by their white/ gray plumage and are sometimes referred to as 'grey ghosts'. This guy seems to be clutching an Alligator Lizard as he keeps an eye on my approaching lens. The harriers have been gone all summer but they should be returning soon. I can watch them hover and glide just a few feet off the ground without barely flapping their wings right outside my window as I'm eating breakfast. I look forward to their return and I'm happily awaiting autumns' changes; the soft afternoon lighting with colors of purple, orange and red, swells from the north and the south, harvest time, cool breezes and cool nights. Today brought the first Say's Phoebe of the fall.